Federal agents have increased enforcement efforts in Maryland, leading to the highest number of immigration arrests on record during President Donald Trump’s second term. However, most of those arrested had no prior criminal history.
According to data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), over 700 arrests were made in Maryland between September 1 and October 15. This represents a significant increase compared to the same period last year under former President Biden.
While Trump claimed his administration would target “violent criminal illegal aliens,” data shows that only about 10% of those arrested had prior convictions for violent crimes, while over 70% had never been charged with a crime before being detained.
Critics argue that the administration’s rhetoric is at odds with the reality on the ground. Maureen Sweeney, a law professor and director of the University of Maryland’s Immigration Clinic, stated that “the administration continues to use this rhetoric in complete disconnection from the reality on the ground.”
The data also shows that ICE has arrested immigrants from 81 countries, with many coming from Latin American countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. Advocates say that these efforts are causing fear among immigrant communities, leading to self-isolation and economic hardship.
Experts point to several factors contributing to the increase in arrests, including changes in immigration policies under Trump’s administration. The administration has scaled back legal avenues for immigrants to pursue status, making it easier for ICE to target removals.
The data from ICE also highlights a “bottleneck” effect in Baltimore, where the field office faced space constraints and limited its enforcement efforts due to local laws prohibiting long-term detention facilities. Under Trump’s administration, this constraint has been relaxed, leading to overcrowding at temporary cells run by ICE.
While the Trump administration maintains that deportation efforts target violent criminals, data suggests otherwise. The article highlights the concerns of immigrant advocates and experts about the erosion of due-process rights and immigration programs under the current administration.
Source: https://www.thebanner.com/politics-power/national-politics/immigration-enforcement-maryland-numbers-ice-arrests-criminal-MKPPI2LGXJDXJD3RHC2FNNR2AE